Habad (Lubavitch) is among the best known Hasidic communities in the world. One is indeed likely ... more Habad (Lubavitch) is among the best known Hasidic communities in the world. One is indeed likely to encounter a " Lubavitcher " at a wide range of occasions, from Hanukkah menorah lightings on the main squares of countless towns and cities to official Jewish ceremonies hosted by non-Jewish public figures and, naturally, at one of the thousands of Habad Houses, where " emissaries " cater to the religious needs of Jews. However, readers wishing to expand their knowledge of Habad's special nature would be hard-pressed to find an accessible, up-to-date, and balanced scholarly exposition on this topic. The present anthology, which consists of four articles on Lubavitch from the turn of and through the end of the twentieth century, endeavors to address this lacuna. The authors of the articles are leading scholars of Habad who study the movement from the perspectives of history, theology, sociology, and politics. Habad perpetuated its theological, organizational, and political characteristics during its entire history. This collection offers informed perspectives on Habad as a whole.
Articles by: Elliot R. Wolfson, Joseph Dan, Rachel Elior, Ada Rapoport-Albert, Gadi Sagiv, Moshe ... more Articles by: Elliot R. Wolfson, Joseph Dan, Rachel Elior, Ada Rapoport-Albert, Gadi Sagiv, Moshe Hallamish, Dov Schwartz, Wojciech Tworek, Naftali Loewenthal, Israel Bartal, Jonatan Meir, Maya Balakirsky Katz, Alon Dahan, Ariel Roth, Samuel Heilman, Ilia Lurie, Haviva Pedaya
Marital strategies are of significant importance in socio-religious
movements with dynastic lead... more Marital strategies are of significant importance in socio-religious
movements with dynastic leadership. This article investigates
marital strategies among the leaders of Hasidism, arguably the
most prominent socio-religious movement of modern Jewry. The
study is based on complete documentation records of all
marriages by Hasidic leaders from the inception of Hasidism in
the 1700s until today: 2,375 marital unions, mostly in 122
dynasties. The data demonstrate a tendency among Hasidic
leaders to marry off their children to other Hasidic dynasties,
thereby forming a pattern of inter-dynastic connections. We also
demonstrate that Hasidic leaders have avoided upward mobility
and preferred to marry their children to dynasties with a similar
social status. Most importantly, the ultimate gain of such
marriages is not material or political gain but rather the
maintenance of religious charisma. These findings explain how
Hasidic dynasties emerged, expanded, eroded, and negotiated
their status within the network of dynasties.
This chapter highlights the problematic nature of every attempt to characterize the diverse Hasid... more This chapter highlights the problematic nature of every attempt to characterize the diverse Hasidic groups, schools of thought, and sects, which comprise the Hasidic movement. It talks about three well-known Hasidic leaders: ’the Yehudi,’ Simhah Bunem of Pshiskhe, and the Rabbi of Kotsk, who are generally considered founders of the distinctive Pshiskhe–Kotsk school but differed greatly in their respective spiritual orientations. It also explains Hasidism as a collection of distinct and often conflicting groups that comprises one charismatic leader each, who usually belongs to a dynasty of hereditary leaders. The chapter discusses the awakening of the collective consciousness of belonging to one movement among the disciples of the Magid of Mezeritsh. It describes the fragmented structure of the movement that was inherent from its earliest formative period.
Rituals have always been a characterizing and significant aspect of Hasidism. Although ritual pra... more Rituals have always been a characterizing and significant aspect of Hasidism. Although ritual practices are often considered rigid and conservative, Hasidism showed tremendous flexibility in composing, reviving, and disseminating old rituals in novel religious settings. Highly visible, easily deliverable, not requiring intellectual background, and embedded in Jewish tradition, rituals and ceremonies were the perfect means by which to popularize pietism and esoteric knowledge among large audiences, while maintaining the prestige of their performers.
The color blue is thought to protect against the evil eye in Mediterranean cultures. This article... more The color blue is thought to protect against the evil eye in Mediterranean cultures. This article unfolds the yet-unstudied role played by kabbalistic theology, symbolism, and myth in the construction of the color blue as a protective color for Jews. It traces particularly the development of a medieval kabbalistic myth of a dazzling blue garment of the feminine aspect of the godhead, protecting her from contact with evil forces. The article shows how this myth became the foundation for various practices against the evil eye among Jews in the modern period and contextualizes this myth within theories about the evil eye.
The Bible requires Jews to tie a tekhelet (blue) cord as part of their tzitzit (fringes on tradit... more The Bible requires Jews to tie a tekhelet (blue) cord as part of their tzitzit (fringes on traditional prayer shawl and everyday undergarment). Rabbinic sources of antiquity insisted that the tekhelet dye must have been produced from a marine mollusk termed hillazon. For various reasons, the custom of having this tekhelet cord, which is usually associated with the colors blue or violet, disappeared from Jewish material culture sometime in late antiquity. During the 1880s the Hasidic leader Gershon Hanoch Leiner of Radzin (Radzyń Podlaski, Poland) announced that he had found the ancient hillazon and succeeded in producing tekhelet, which he distributed to his followers. However, his tekhelet did not gain popularity. A much wider interest in tekhelet began in the 1980s, when a new tekhelet was introduced by religious Zionist Jews, resulting in an abundance of Orthodox publications on the subject. However, the 1980s renaissance of tekhelet raised objections from various Jewish Orthodox circles.
This paper aims to sketch a preliminary map of the tekhelet
debate that took place after the introduction of the second tekhelet in the 1980s. It opens with a brief history of tekhelet, followed by a description of the dominant narrative of contemporary tekhelet, and its main opponents. The rest of the article presents central focal points of the controversy: debates regarding the production of the dye; issues of authority regarding acceptance of the new tekhelet; and a messianic tension revealed by the discussion of tekhelet. By providing a non-Orthodox account of the tekhelet debate, this article sheds light on contemporary tekhelet discourse yet also exposes fundamental issues in contemporary Orthodox Judaism, particularly with respect to the relationship between religion and science, and the tension between radicalism and conservatism.
Habad (Lubavitch) is among the best known Hasidic communities in the world. One is indeed likely ... more Habad (Lubavitch) is among the best known Hasidic communities in the world. One is indeed likely to encounter a " Lubavitcher " at a wide range of occasions, from Hanukkah menorah lightings on the main squares of countless towns and cities to official Jewish ceremonies hosted by non-Jewish public figures and, naturally, at one of the thousands of Habad Houses, where " emissaries " cater to the religious needs of Jews. However, readers wishing to expand their knowledge of Habad's special nature would be hard-pressed to find an accessible, up-to-date, and balanced scholarly exposition on this topic. The present anthology, which consists of four articles on Lubavitch from the turn of and through the end of the twentieth century, endeavors to address this lacuna. The authors of the articles are leading scholars of Habad who study the movement from the perspectives of history, theology, sociology, and politics. Habad perpetuated its theological, organizational, and political characteristics during its entire history. This collection offers informed perspectives on Habad as a whole.
Articles by: Elliot R. Wolfson, Joseph Dan, Rachel Elior, Ada Rapoport-Albert, Gadi Sagiv, Moshe ... more Articles by: Elliot R. Wolfson, Joseph Dan, Rachel Elior, Ada Rapoport-Albert, Gadi Sagiv, Moshe Hallamish, Dov Schwartz, Wojciech Tworek, Naftali Loewenthal, Israel Bartal, Jonatan Meir, Maya Balakirsky Katz, Alon Dahan, Ariel Roth, Samuel Heilman, Ilia Lurie, Haviva Pedaya
Marital strategies are of significant importance in socio-religious
movements with dynastic lead... more Marital strategies are of significant importance in socio-religious
movements with dynastic leadership. This article investigates
marital strategies among the leaders of Hasidism, arguably the
most prominent socio-religious movement of modern Jewry. The
study is based on complete documentation records of all
marriages by Hasidic leaders from the inception of Hasidism in
the 1700s until today: 2,375 marital unions, mostly in 122
dynasties. The data demonstrate a tendency among Hasidic
leaders to marry off their children to other Hasidic dynasties,
thereby forming a pattern of inter-dynastic connections. We also
demonstrate that Hasidic leaders have avoided upward mobility
and preferred to marry their children to dynasties with a similar
social status. Most importantly, the ultimate gain of such
marriages is not material or political gain but rather the
maintenance of religious charisma. These findings explain how
Hasidic dynasties emerged, expanded, eroded, and negotiated
their status within the network of dynasties.
This chapter highlights the problematic nature of every attempt to characterize the diverse Hasid... more This chapter highlights the problematic nature of every attempt to characterize the diverse Hasidic groups, schools of thought, and sects, which comprise the Hasidic movement. It talks about three well-known Hasidic leaders: ’the Yehudi,’ Simhah Bunem of Pshiskhe, and the Rabbi of Kotsk, who are generally considered founders of the distinctive Pshiskhe–Kotsk school but differed greatly in their respective spiritual orientations. It also explains Hasidism as a collection of distinct and often conflicting groups that comprises one charismatic leader each, who usually belongs to a dynasty of hereditary leaders. The chapter discusses the awakening of the collective consciousness of belonging to one movement among the disciples of the Magid of Mezeritsh. It describes the fragmented structure of the movement that was inherent from its earliest formative period.
Rituals have always been a characterizing and significant aspect of Hasidism. Although ritual pra... more Rituals have always been a characterizing and significant aspect of Hasidism. Although ritual practices are often considered rigid and conservative, Hasidism showed tremendous flexibility in composing, reviving, and disseminating old rituals in novel religious settings. Highly visible, easily deliverable, not requiring intellectual background, and embedded in Jewish tradition, rituals and ceremonies were the perfect means by which to popularize pietism and esoteric knowledge among large audiences, while maintaining the prestige of their performers.
The color blue is thought to protect against the evil eye in Mediterranean cultures. This article... more The color blue is thought to protect against the evil eye in Mediterranean cultures. This article unfolds the yet-unstudied role played by kabbalistic theology, symbolism, and myth in the construction of the color blue as a protective color for Jews. It traces particularly the development of a medieval kabbalistic myth of a dazzling blue garment of the feminine aspect of the godhead, protecting her from contact with evil forces. The article shows how this myth became the foundation for various practices against the evil eye among Jews in the modern period and contextualizes this myth within theories about the evil eye.
The Bible requires Jews to tie a tekhelet (blue) cord as part of their tzitzit (fringes on tradit... more The Bible requires Jews to tie a tekhelet (blue) cord as part of their tzitzit (fringes on traditional prayer shawl and everyday undergarment). Rabbinic sources of antiquity insisted that the tekhelet dye must have been produced from a marine mollusk termed hillazon. For various reasons, the custom of having this tekhelet cord, which is usually associated with the colors blue or violet, disappeared from Jewish material culture sometime in late antiquity. During the 1880s the Hasidic leader Gershon Hanoch Leiner of Radzin (Radzyń Podlaski, Poland) announced that he had found the ancient hillazon and succeeded in producing tekhelet, which he distributed to his followers. However, his tekhelet did not gain popularity. A much wider interest in tekhelet began in the 1980s, when a new tekhelet was introduced by religious Zionist Jews, resulting in an abundance of Orthodox publications on the subject. However, the 1980s renaissance of tekhelet raised objections from various Jewish Orthodox circles.
This paper aims to sketch a preliminary map of the tekhelet
debate that took place after the introduction of the second tekhelet in the 1980s. It opens with a brief history of tekhelet, followed by a description of the dominant narrative of contemporary tekhelet, and its main opponents. The rest of the article presents central focal points of the controversy: debates regarding the production of the dye; issues of authority regarding acceptance of the new tekhelet; and a messianic tension revealed by the discussion of tekhelet. By providing a non-Orthodox account of the tekhelet debate, this article sheds light on contemporary tekhelet discourse yet also exposes fundamental issues in contemporary Orthodox Judaism, particularly with respect to the relationship between religion and science, and the tension between radicalism and conservatism.
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Papers by Gadi Sagiv
movements with dynastic leadership. This article investigates
marital strategies among the leaders of Hasidism, arguably the
most prominent socio-religious movement of modern Jewry. The
study is based on complete documentation records of all
marriages by Hasidic leaders from the inception of Hasidism in
the 1700s until today: 2,375 marital unions, mostly in 122
dynasties. The data demonstrate a tendency among Hasidic
leaders to marry off their children to other Hasidic dynasties,
thereby forming a pattern of inter-dynastic connections. We also
demonstrate that Hasidic leaders have avoided upward mobility
and preferred to marry their children to dynasties with a similar
social status. Most importantly, the ultimate gain of such
marriages is not material or political gain but rather the
maintenance of religious charisma. These findings explain how
Hasidic dynasties emerged, expanded, eroded, and negotiated
their status within the network of dynasties.
This paper aims to sketch a preliminary map of the tekhelet
debate that took place after the introduction of the second tekhelet in the 1980s. It opens with a brief history of tekhelet, followed by a description of the dominant narrative of contemporary tekhelet, and its main opponents. The rest of the article presents central focal points of the controversy: debates regarding the production of the dye; issues of authority regarding acceptance of the new tekhelet; and a messianic tension revealed by the discussion of tekhelet. By providing a non-Orthodox account of the tekhelet debate, this article sheds light on contemporary tekhelet discourse yet also exposes fundamental issues in contemporary Orthodox Judaism, particularly with respect to the relationship between religion and science, and the tension between radicalism and conservatism.
Events by Gadi Sagiv
movements with dynastic leadership. This article investigates
marital strategies among the leaders of Hasidism, arguably the
most prominent socio-religious movement of modern Jewry. The
study is based on complete documentation records of all
marriages by Hasidic leaders from the inception of Hasidism in
the 1700s until today: 2,375 marital unions, mostly in 122
dynasties. The data demonstrate a tendency among Hasidic
leaders to marry off their children to other Hasidic dynasties,
thereby forming a pattern of inter-dynastic connections. We also
demonstrate that Hasidic leaders have avoided upward mobility
and preferred to marry their children to dynasties with a similar
social status. Most importantly, the ultimate gain of such
marriages is not material or political gain but rather the
maintenance of religious charisma. These findings explain how
Hasidic dynasties emerged, expanded, eroded, and negotiated
their status within the network of dynasties.
This paper aims to sketch a preliminary map of the tekhelet
debate that took place after the introduction of the second tekhelet in the 1980s. It opens with a brief history of tekhelet, followed by a description of the dominant narrative of contemporary tekhelet, and its main opponents. The rest of the article presents central focal points of the controversy: debates regarding the production of the dye; issues of authority regarding acceptance of the new tekhelet; and a messianic tension revealed by the discussion of tekhelet. By providing a non-Orthodox account of the tekhelet debate, this article sheds light on contemporary tekhelet discourse yet also exposes fundamental issues in contemporary Orthodox Judaism, particularly with respect to the relationship between religion and science, and the tension between radicalism and conservatism.